Our traditional candlelit carol service was once again full to capacity as the village gathered to celebrate the start of Christmas in style. Our service is always candlelit completely with individual candles issued to all service goers. The service was a mix of traditional carols intermixed with short drama and scripture readings as well as the choir leading the singing and having their own solo spot. The highlight for many is the childrens participation in the service. This year the small ones met at the front to celebrate the angels calling the shepherds to worship at the manger and a second drama featured the traditional baby which always seems to be provided for our annual event. Once again this year not one but two babies made the grade so the honours were split between them. Baby James Michael and her appropiately named Mother Mary played baby Jesus. Baby Ruby Elizabeth and her Mother Helen played John the Baptist and only just made the service in time, being born just under four days earlier, so was her first real outing.

With the weather being kind - once again it was not raining even if it was rather cold - a large group of us ranging from 3 years old up sang our way around the village calling on doors. A warm up in the Swan pub at the end of the evening was a welcome warming time. We have so far raised £184.60 for UHCW and raised a further £95.41 when the choir sang in Ankerside Shopping Centre in Tamworth last Saturday. This stands for University Hospital, Coventry and Warwick, otherwise known as Walsgrave Hospital. The charity supports all wards and services in Coventry and the Hospital of St Cross, Rugby. They fund new equipment and facilities. Their most recent appeal was for ante-natal, neo-natal and post natal baby care. This included plans for family rooms, bereavement counselling, a birthing pool and scanning rooms.

Some pictures here of the hardy bunch which traversed the village singing on the Tuesday night as well as video below of the choir in action at the Dog Inn. They raised a further £85.99 singing in the pub making a grand total of £366 for UHCW.

The Choir in action at the Dog Inn on Sunday night.

Soon off to bed Xavier joined the singers for this first ever carol duty! Whilst he did not complete the evening he was full of carol singing when he got home tired!

With Christmas lights starting to go up we had a busy morning with a lot of people taking a break from the trials and tribulations of their Christmas shopping trips and present preparations. £106 was raised for a charity called "Starlight Wishes" which tries to grant dreams to seriously and terminally ill children. They entertain over half a million children every year in hospitals and hospices throughout the UK. Although a cold chilly day the snow held off and even the hall was starting to look like Christmas with its tree and a few decorations.

Click the image image to find out more about the charity itself direct from its webpage.

Youngest attender today was month old James Michael seen here not with mummy but a very pregnant Helen and our oldest member Mavis as he was passed from arm to arm to give Mummy Mary a rest. He certainly seemed to enjoy the attention in between feeds!

As part of her Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award challenge Grace has volunteered to serve and make tea and cakes after our morning services. This is a lovely treat for us for us to have every week as it is usually only at special services we have such delights; even better is the news that Grace will be doing this for at least three months. Grace is also working towards her big hike in March and hopes to complete the award later next year.

Whitacre Congregation is a vibrant mix of young and old who enjoy meeting for Sunday worship. Do come and join us.